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190
The Stranger's Story.
PART I.—THE BREAKFAST.
Four friends, all scarlet-coated,
Eager all to join the pack,
At the breakfast board were seated,
Jem and Jerry, Ned and Jack.
Eager all to join the pack,
At the breakfast board were seated,
Jem and Jerry, Ned and Jack.
Giant Jem, a ponderous horseman,
With a bull-like head and throttle,
O'er each boot a calf expanding,
Like a cork in soda bottle;
With a bull-like head and throttle,
O'er each boot a calf expanding,
Like a cork in soda bottle;
Still to add Jem never scrupled,
When the beef was on his plate,
To the four stone he quadrupled,
Many a pound of extra weight.
When the beef was on his plate,
To the four stone he quadrupled,
Many a pound of extra weight.
Jerry, bent on competition,
Spread his napkin underneath,
But the tongue's untiring motion
Check'd the action of his teeth.
Spread his napkin underneath,
But the tongue's untiring motion
Check'd the action of his teeth.
He told them what he had done
On his chestnut and his grey,
And when that tale was ended,
What he meant to do to-day.
On his chestnut and his grey,
And when that tale was ended,
What he meant to do to-day.
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Ned was booted to perfection,
Better rider there was none,
But jealousy, when mounted,
Was the spur that prick'd him on.
Better rider there was none,
But jealousy, when mounted,
Was the spur that prick'd him on.
To him the run was wormwood,
No enjoyment in the burst,
Unless he led the gallop,
And was foremost of the first.
No enjoyment in the burst,
Unless he led the gallop,
And was foremost of the first.
Jack, who never said, like Horner,
“How good a boy am I,”
Sat listening at the corner
Of the table meek and shy;
“How good a boy am I,”
Sat listening at the corner
Of the table meek and shy;
No word he spoke, till question'd
On what horse he rode to-day?
Then modestly he answer'd,
“I have nothing but the Bay.”
On what horse he rode to-day?
Then modestly he answer'd,
“I have nothing but the Bay.”
Breakfast over on they canter,
Till the covert-side they reach;
When you hear my story ended,
You will know the worth of each.
Till the covert-side they reach;
When you hear my story ended,
You will know the worth of each.
PART II.—THE DINNER.
At night again they gather'd
Round a board of ample fare,
And though myself a stranger guest,
They bade me welcome there.
Round a board of ample fare,
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They bade me welcome there.
Jem, Jerry, Ned, swashbucklers
You'd have thought by their discourse,
Each alternately extolling
First himself and then his horse.
You'd have thought by their discourse,
Each alternately extolling
First himself and then his horse.
Giant Jem, a road-abider,
One who seldom risk'd a fall,
The line the fox had taken,
He describ'd it best of all.
One who seldom risk'd a fall,
The line the fox had taken,
He describ'd it best of all.
Told them where he cross'd the river,
Told them where he fac'd the hill,
Told them too, and thought it true,
That he himself had seen the kill.
Told them where he fac'd the hill,
Told them too, and thought it true,
That he himself had seen the kill.
Jerry's tongue still faster prattled
As the wine-cup wet his lips;
Had the pack apace thus rattled,
'Twould have baffled an Eclipse.
As the wine-cup wet his lips;
Had the pack apace thus rattled,
'Twould have baffled an Eclipse.
Nought I felt would baffle Jerry,
From the find until the death,
No rate of speed would e'er succeed
To put him out of breath.
From the find until the death,
No rate of speed would e'er succeed
To put him out of breath.
Ned was far in commendation
Of himself ahead of each,
Still there lurk'd amari aliquid
Beneath his flowers of speech.
Of himself ahead of each,
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Beneath his flowers of speech.
Still jarr'd some note discordant,
As he blew the trumpet loud,
Still dimm'd the radiant glory
Of the day some little cloud.
As he blew the trumpet loud,
Still dimm'd the radiant glory
Of the day some little cloud.
At each daring deed of horsemanship
Amazement I express;
'Mid such mighty men of valour
Which the mightiest? who could guess?
Amazement I express;
'Mid such mighty men of valour
Which the mightiest? who could guess?
Till at length a tell-tale offer
Set the question quite at rest;
Nor could I doubt which, out and out,
Of the four had seen it best.
Set the question quite at rest;
Nor could I doubt which, out and out,
Of the four had seen it best.
Jack had never said, like Horner,
“How good a boy am I,”
But I saw within the corner
Of his lid a twinkle sly;
“How good a boy am I,”
But I saw within the corner
Of his lid a twinkle sly;
When to Jack, though in a whisper,
Ned was overheard to say,
“If you'll take four hundred for him,
You shall have it for the Bay.”
Ned was overheard to say,
“If you'll take four hundred for him,
You shall have it for the Bay.”
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